Venison with Celeriac and Chestnut Puree, Chocolate Ganache, Figs and Red Wine Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Venison 
2 Venison Steaks
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

For the Celeriac and Chestnut Puree
1/2 Celeriac
3/4 Vacuum pack of cooked chestnuts
250 Ml Whole Milk
2 tablespoons of double cream
Salt and Pepper

For the Figs
4 Figs
Honey

For the Savoy Cabbage
Savoy Cabbage
Olive Oil
6 Rashes of smoked bacon
1/4 Vacuum pack of cooked chestnuts

For the Red Wine Sauce
250ml of wine
1/2 onion
1 clove of garlic
Butter

For the Chocolate Ganache
25g of Dark Chocolate
Double Cream

For the Roast Charlotte Potatoes
500g Charlotte potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Thyme
Garlic

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
2. Cut the charlotte potatoes in half and place into a roasting tin
3. Sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
4. Add a handful of thyme sprigs and a few garlic cloves crushed with the back of a knife to the pan and cook for approx 45 minutes until golden brown and soft on the inside
5. Take your venison out the fridge to bring to room temperature and season with salt and pepper
6. While they are cooking start your puree
7. Peel and chop your celeriac into 1 inch cubes
8. Add to the pan with the chestnuts and cover with whole milk, bring to the boil and cook for approx 20 minutes until soft
9. While that is cooking start on your red wine sauce
10. Finely chop your garlic and onion and fry until softened (not brown) in a saucepan.
11. Add the red wine and bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer. Continue to cook until the volume has reduced by 3/4.
12. 20 minutes before the potatoes are ready use a knife to slice a cross in the top of the figs, add a dollop of honey then add these to the roasting pan of potatoes and cook for 20 minutes
13. Add your cooked celeriac and chestnut to a blender with some of the cooking liquid and the cream and blend until smooth. If you need it any smoother than pass through a sieve. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
14. Heat some olive oil in a pan and add your venison steaks. Cook each side to your liking – I think its best rare so cook it 2 minutes each side.
15. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes
16. For the cabbage chop your bacon and chestnuts into small pieces
17. Melt your butter in a pan and add your bacon and chestnuts
18. While this is cooking add your cabbage to boiling water for 5 minutes.
19. Remove from the pan and chop into small slices then add to the pan of bacon and chestnuts and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season as needed.
20. When your red wine sauce has reduced add a knob of butter and whisk then pass through a sieve into a jug
21. For the chocolate ganache break your chocolate into a bowl then heat your cream in a pan. Don’t let it boil but once hot add to your bowl of chocolate and mix until you have a thick liquid. This will set and go hard once it cools so try and do it last minute. If you need to melt it again place it on top of one of your pans of boiling water and stir until it melts.
22. To serve slice your venison and place on your plate, put the puree into a piping bag and pipe onto the plate, add 2 small parts of chocolate ganache, chop the figs into 4 and add to the plate, add the potatoes and cabbage and serve alongside the red wine sauce.